Has anyone attached backdrops to a concrete wall. I have poured concrete walls in my basement that are smooth and painted. I was thinking of sticking backdrops in a section of my layout to the wall. I really don't want to have to put up drywall or any other type of wall to attach the backdrops to. Can this be done?
I use printed cardstock backdrops like these:
http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/Realistic-Backgrounds-Small-Town-Scene-p/rlb-704-11.htm
I use Velcro to attach them although I have drywall and fabric wall covering. What are you planning to use for the actual backdrop?
If the paint has adhered well to the concrete and stays dry I think the Velcro should do fine. You only need a few strips. You can purchase fairly large rolls of Velcro from building supply houses or Amazon. Get the peel-n-stick type.
If moisture may be a problem, I would shoot them, both sides, with clear matte finish. I did that on mine but only because they were a bit too shiny.
The Velcro is nice because I can re-position them or take them down if I'm doing painting or scenery work nearby.
Good Luck, Ed
I also have poured concrete walls in my basement.
My basement is unfinished so I put 1/4" thick 2' x 4' Masonite panels on the walls.
At the time that I did that, I was advised not to put the Masonite panels directly onto the concrete walls butm instead to apply firring strips to the concrete and then glue the Masonite panels to the firring strips. I was further advised not to use wood firring strips but, rather, to use Masonite as the firring strips. So, I cut a Masonite panel into 2" wide x 24" high strips.
I used Liquid Nails Heavy Duty Constructive Adhesive to glue the firring strips to the concrete wall and to glue the Masonite panels to the Masonite firring strips. The smooth side surface of the panels and the firring strips should face the layout, and the rough side should face the concrete wall.
I painted my backdrop, but I also applied paper backdrops to an end panel, using 3M Super 77 Spray Adhesive. Twelve years later, the backdrops are still in place.
Rich
Alton Junction
If smooth enough, you can get them to stick. The problem is the different rates of absorption of moisture, with the paper probably always being damp and prone to mildew.
Some good ideas so far. This is what I did, although I mostly use a painted backdrop.
First, clean the wall. Overkill isn't needed, just nice and clean.
Using the proper adhesive (I also used Liquid Nails, but the stuff OK for foam) attach 4x8' panels of foil-covered 1" foam sheet. My basement ceiling is short (6'6") and there is dirt as high as the last couple of course of blocks. I turned the sheets so they were long (landscape) way, as the bottom of the foam is well below the benchwork.
My basement walls are topped with a 2x sill laid flat on top. I glued the sheets of masonite to the foam after its glue to the wall was set. I pushed the top edge of the panel up to cover the sill plate, then attached the masonite by nailing it through to the sill plate's edge. The smooth side of the masonite is out, the rough side is glued to the foiled-foam panels. Prime and paint to need.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
I use the same backdrops as Ed and used double sided tape purchased from True Value to secure them to the drywall in my basement. This has proven very easy to use and I've not had any difficulties with this method. However, it is felt that Ed's use of Velcro is probably better and I'll be trying that on the one remaining backdrop that needs to be installed.
Wayne
Modeling HO Freelance Logging Railroad.
I used the cheapest/thinnest smooth backed polyvinyl flooring from the bigbox.
I placed a tack strip at the top to staple the vinyl as a drape so
that I could glue it to the wall. It is moisture proof and has totally
eliminated moisture through the walls. One can use flooring cement
and a trowel, but I used a caulk gun. It took latex paint very well-so
well that I purchased a smaller height backdrop so the blue sky paint
can be the backdrop as well. I later read that John Allen did the same thing
in the late 40s.
I have concrete block, and the more I thought about it, the less I wanted to mount my backdrop directly onto an exterior basement wall. I ran 2x2s from the ceiling joists through openings I cut into the suspended ceiling (a sort of fibreglass product) down to a 2x4 I glued to the floor along the edge. Masonite was screwed into the 2x2s. So the backdrop is not mounted on the wall and there is a gap of sorts between wall and backdrop. When the layout gets removed it should be fairly easy to return everything to normal (I found a supply of the suspended ceiling stuff up in the attic. At most that 2x4 might remain cemented to the lineoleum flooring along one wall.
Dave Nelson